Resilient body



May 25, 1943. w-.lw. LINZ RE'SILIENT BODY Filed Oct, 13, 1941 Willzam/ WLin? INV OR. B M

ms 4 "mu/5V Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT 7 OFFICERESILIENT BODY William W. Linz, Chicago, Ill.

Application October 13, 1941, Serial No. 414,822

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a resilient body and the method of making thesame and has for its principal object the provision of an improvedconstruction of this character which will be highly efiicient in use andeconomical in manufacture,

The term resilient body, as the title of this invention, has beenemployed for the reason that the subject matter constituting, thisapplication is capable of many applications, such for example, a spongefor cleaning and polishing purposes or washing operations, a cushion forupholstered chairs and other seats, as well as a cushion cap for thecoil springs of a bed or the like; and while the present specificationdi.. closes and describes the invention in the embodiment of a sponge,it is to be understood that this applicant is not to be limited in theuse of his invention to that one particular embodiment, but that he isto avail himself of the application of his invention to any of the manyuses to which he is entitled, including those herein specifically named.

In carrying the invention into effect it is the applicants object toprovide a sponge which is self-expanding by virtue of the manner inwhich it is constructed, thereby providing aninterior chamber which,because of the high porosity of the material and the fine and minuteindividual interconnecting openings, results in an article ofmanufacture having the highest degree of spongy or cushioning effect.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a plurality ofspaced cavities in the exterior surfaces of the body of the sponge,thereby greatly facilitating the quick and uninterrupted passage ofwater into the internal chamber when the sponge is used for mopping orsoaking-up purposes, and which cavities result in a squeegee eifect whenthe sponge is moved over a wet surface. These cavities are alsoadvantageous from the standpoint that they furnish fingerholds therebyaffording firm and positive gripping of the sponge body.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide within theinterior chamber a stabilizer in the form of a bridge plate secured toone wall of the sponge body and when thus secured resulting in acollapsing-resistant action of the body when gripped in the hands andmoved or placed over a surface with weight or pressure thereon.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of the layers employed in themanufacture of my resilient body;

Fig, 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail view of the sametaken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view showing the method ofadhesively securing the abutting edges of the layers together and thenfolding the layers upon one another to provide the expanded innerchamber;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the two layers comprising the resilientbody, showing the edges partially adhesively secured together;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional detail view of the resilient body in itsformed state; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the body shown in use as a sponge.

In accomplishing the many objects of this invention, it is desirable andmost preferable that the resilient body he made up of latex, being arubber product, .of rubber substantially devoid of filler, andwhipped'into a foamy condition and formed into finished shape while in aliquid state. It is desirable that the porosity of the material be highand that the individual minute openings of the material interconnectfreely.

Forming the resilient body of material of these characteristics, Iprovide two layers I0 and II, each of which is cut the desired shape andpossesses the required thickness. In each of these layers, oncorresponding sides [2 which constitute the exterior walls of theresilient body, I preferably form a plurality of spaced cavities l3. Thebottom walls [4 of these cavities terminate a substantial distance fromthe opposite surface P5 of each layer, thereby providing a substantiallythin wall I6 which permits free and ready passage of moisture or liquidthrough the layers into the inner chamber hereinafter set forth.

In manufacture the two layers are arranged upon a common surface withadjacent edge portions arranged in abutting relation with respect toeach other. These abutting edge portions are adhesively secured togetheras at I1 by a rubber cement ll having the characteristics of quicklycementing together the abutting portions. The two layers 10 and II arethen turned back upon each other with the cavities on the exteriorsurfaces and the edge portions stretched or otherwise expanded so as tobe brought into complete abutting relation with each other around theentire peripheries of the two layers It and H and cemented securely insuch abutting relation. The exterior face l2 of the layers becomestensioned while the interior face I5 will be compressed so that .thereis a constant tendency for the two joined layers to assume their normalstraight condition. By this structure the two layers l0 and H assume :asubstantially elliptical shape in cross section and thereby define aselfexpanded interior chamber [8.

Prior to forming the two layers to provide the self-expanding interiorchamber In, I provide a stabilizer in the form of a bridge plate l9secured by rubber cement or other adhesive to one of the layers as shownin Fig. 4. This bridge plate functions to prevent complete collapsing ofthe inner chamber and resists rolling action of the layers when rubbedor moved over a surface, thereby always providing a substantial body forthe purpose. The bridge plate I9 also functions to cooperate with thetwo layers of material when they are pressed into a collapsed conditionto urgethem apart and to spread them into an elliptical condition. Sinceit is obvious that the bridge plate may perform as well if it beattached to both inner surfaces I5, it is contemplated that suchstructure is equally within the scope of invention. r

As before stated, I have shown my invention in the form of a sponge. Assuch the cavities provide substantial finger gripping surfaces as shownin Fig. 6 and when gripped in the manner shown in Fig. 6, it will .bereadily appreciated that the sponge may be substantially moved overand'in contact with the surface, and by virtue of the presence of thecavities in the walls of the sponge there will result .a squeegeeaction, thus assuring proper action and soaking up of the water or othermoisture.

Water may be absorbed by the sponge by merely placing the same in thewater and compressing the sponge. .As the sponge expands the minuteinterconnecting openings will cause it to soak up the water, lodging thesame in the inner chamber where upon again pressing the sponge, thewater will beexpulsed therefrom.

In using the invention as a seat cushion, no other modificationotherthan form needbe employed. This is also true when using theinvention as a mattress or as aicushion cap for the springscf a mattressor bedspring.

While I. have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my in vention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, two opposed layers of elastic materialeach comprising a thickness of latex rubber devoid of filler andsufficiently porous to afford facile passage of liquid and having aplurality of spaced cavities formed on its outer surface leaving a thinwall of such latex rubber at its inner surface, said layers of elasticmaterial having their edges adhesively secured together and folded uponeach other with their inner surfaces compressed and their outer surfacestensioned to provide a self-expanding inner chamber, and a stabilizermeans within the inner chamber and adhesively secured to the inner wallof one of said layers for preventing total collapse of the innerchamber.

2. As an article of manufacture, two opposed layers of elastic materialhaving their edges adhesively secured together :and folded upon eachother to provide a self-expanding inner chamber, the said layers havingtheir exterior surfaces provided With spaced cavities to weaken theoutside fibres thereof and having their interior surfaces compressed andtending to maintain said inner chamber elliptical in cross section, anda stabilizer means within the inner chamber, said stabilizer meanscomprising a bridge plate adhesively secured to an interior wall of oneof said layers to limit the movement of the opposed layers of elasticmaterial toward each other when an outside force is applied to saidlayers.

3. As an article of manufacture, two opposed layers of elastic materialeach comprising sponge rubber of high porosity having a plurality ofspaced cavities formed on its outer surface leaving a relatively thinwall on its inner surface, said layers of elastic material having theiredges adhesively secured and being-folded upon each other with theirouter surfaces tensionedand their inner surfaces being compressedandten-ding to assume a normal straight condition to provide a chamberhaving an elliptical cross section, and a stabilizer means within'theinner'chamber and adhesively secured to the inner wall of one of saidlayers and permitting said chamber to assume an elliptical cross sectionbut preventing a total collapse of said chamber.

-WILLIAM W. LINZ.

